Finding the story - a collection of textiles inspired by words, found things or a simple walk.

Since 2020 I have been creating work which tells more of a story. Using vintage illustration books, writing that inspires me and vintage emphera that I come across.

I first started playing with eco prints in 2019. It was magical, I loved the simple process of gathering leaves, preparing fabric with a simple mordant and steaming the bundles. It was very different to anything else I had previously tried and it took me a while (and a global pandemic) to find my way with the technique.

The gallery includes the first 3d sculptural piece I created in 2021, using a vintage book of illustrations and fabrics I dyed and embroidered. The colors have faded now, eco dyes are not as stable as commercial dyes and the ones I chose were particularly 'fugitive', so the work is now as fragile as our ecosystem and ironic I think.

Last year I was gifted 2 suitcases of vintage textiles and for me they told a story. They had belonged to a Christian woman in the 1980s who had sadly died leaving a young daughter. Kathy Keay wrote prayers and poetry, and I chose some of her work to inspire the story I wanted to tell in eco print and embroidery.